DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 5/18/26 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Regarding the argument that Boucher does not disclose a coupling portion of the mounting portion with the claimed functions because the end surface (76) is not a coupling portion configured to permit the engagement portion to be inserted into and removed from the coupling portion: The coupling portion of Boucher is 162 along with 76. One part of the coupling portion (162) permits the engagement portion (98) to be inserted into and removed from the coupling portion (162) (P0030) and another part of the coupling portion (76 in cooperation with 162) is structurally configured to limit a range of rotational movement of the engagement portion (98) relative to the coupling portion (162) so as to limit a range of pivoting movement between the cassette receiving portion (30, 32) and the mounting portion (20, 22, 24, 54) between a first, stowed position (Fig. 3A) and a second, extended position (Fig. 3B) (P0021, 0030) that is configured to provide enhanced access to the cassette relative to the first, stowed position (P0027). The beveled end couples to the rear wall (14) (P0021), which provides the “coupling function” that limits the range of movement and this coupling portion of is of the mounting portion since the mounting portion includes the walls of the housing in which the bevel couples to.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 16 and 21-26 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Boucher et al (US 2021/0364722 A1). Boucher teaches:
16. A cassette receiving assembly (Figs. 1-9) configured to permit a fiber optic cassette (74) to be moved between a first position (Fig. 3A) and a second position (Fig. 3B) that provides enhanced access to the cassette (74) relative to the first position (Fig. 3A) (P0021), comprising:
a mounting portion (20, 22, 24, 54, 14);
a cassette receiving portion (30, 32) structurally configured to receive a fiber optic cassette (74) and to be pivotally coupled with the mounting portion (20, 22, 24, 54) (P0022);
wherein the cassette receiving portion (30, 32) includes an engagement portion (98) that is configured to be coupled with a coupling portion (162, 76) of the mounting portion (20, 22, 24, 54, 14);
wherein the coupling portion (162, 76) is configured to permit the engagement portion (98) to be inserted into and removed from the coupling portion (162) (P0030);
wherein the coupling portion (162 along with 76) is structurally configured to limit a range of rotational movement of the engagement portion (98) relative to the coupling portion (162) so as to limit a range of pivoting movement between the cassette receiving portion (30, 32) and the mounting portion (20, 22, 24, 54) between a first, stowed position (Fig. 3A) and a second, extended position (Fig. 3B) (P0021, 0030) that is configured to provide enhanced access to the cassette relative to the first, stowed position (P0027).
One part of the coupling portion (162) permits the engagement portion (98) to be inserted into and removed from the coupling portion (162) (P0030) and another part of the coupling portion (76 in cooperation with 162) is structurally configured to limit a range of rotational movement of the engagement portion (98) relative to the coupling portion (162) so as to limit a range of pivoting movement between the cassette receiving portion (30, 32) and the mounting portion (20, 22, 24, 54) between a first, stowed position (Fig. 3A) and a second, extended position (Fig. 3B) (P0021, 0030) that is configured to provide enhanced access to the cassette relative to the first, stowed position (P0027). The beveled end couples to the rear wall (14) (P0021), which provides the “coupling function” that limits the range of movement and this coupling portion of is of the mounting portion since the mounting portion includes the walls of the housing in which the bevel couples to.
21. The cassette receiving assembly of claim 16, wherein the receiving portion (30, 32) includes a wall portion (main body portion) having a notched portion (see Fig. 4A, showing the notch that surrounds 98, forming the area the engagement portion resides in) that is configured to receive the engagement portion (98).
22. The cassette receiving assembly of claim 16, wherein the cassette receiving portion (30, 32) includes a pair of guide portions (the bodies of 30 and 32) positioned opposite one another in a mirrored relationship (see Fig. 4A) and interconnected by a support portion (34);
wherein the guide portions (the bodies of 30 and 32) each include an outer surface portion facing away from one another (see Fig. 4A), and a first end (both ends) of each of the guide portions includes the engagement portion (98).
23. The cassette receiving assembly of claim 16, wherein the mounting portion (20, 22, 24, 54) comprises a first mounting portion (20) and a second mounting portion (22);
wherein the cassette receiving portion (30, 32) is configured to be pivotally coupled with and between the first mounting portion (20) and the second mounting portion (22); and
wherein each of the first and second mounting portions (20, 22) includes an attachment portion (164) configured to be attached to the surface (bodies of 20, 22) and a receiving portion (164) configured to receive the cassette receiving portion (30, 32) (P0030).
24. The cassette receiving assembly of claim 23, wherein the coupling portion (162) comprises a first coupling portion (one in 20) and a second coupling portion (one in 22);
wherein the engagement portion (98) including a first engagement portion (one in 30) and a second engagement portion (one in 32); and
wherein the first engagement portion (98 in 30) is configured to be coupled with the first coupling portion (162 of 20) of the first mounting portion and the second engagement portion (98 in 32) is configured to be coupled with the second coupling portion (162 of 22) of the second mounting portion (see Fig. 3B).
25. An enclosure (Fig. 2) for receiving a fiber optic cassette (74) comprising:
the cassette receiving assembly of claim 16;
a housing (12) comprising a cassette receiving space (24); and
wherein the cassette receiving assembly is configured to be mounted in the housing (12) (see Fig. 3A).
26. The enclosure of claim 25, wherein the cassette receiving space (24) is defined by a rear wall (14), a top wall (20), a bottom wall (22) opposite the top wall (20), and a pair of opposed sidewalls (16, 18) positioned between the top wall (20) and the bottom wall (22); and
wherein respective forwards edges of the top wall (20), the bottom wall (22), and the sidewalls (16, 18) are configured to define an opening to the cassette receiving space (24) opposite the rear wall (14) (see Fig. 1).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-15 are allowed (claim 7 has a 112 rejected that would need to be overcome).
Claims 17-20 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims (note, for antecedent basis it was assumed claim 18 should depend from claim 17).
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
These claims would be allowable over the prior art of record or if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims because the latter, either alone or in combination, does not disclose nor render obvious a cassette receiving assembly configured to permit a fiber optic cassette to be moved between a first position and a second position, comprising:
a mounting portion;
a cassette receiving portion structurally configured to receive a fiber optic cassette and to be pivotally coupled with the mounting portion;
wherein the cassette receiving portion includes an engagement portion that is configured to be coupled with a coupling portion of the mounting portion;
wherein the coupling portion is configured to permit the engagement portion to be inserted into and removed from the coupling portion;
wherein the coupling portion is structurally configured so as to limit a range of pivoting movement between the cassette receiving portion and the mounting portion between a first, stowed position and a second, extended position that is configured to provide enhanced access to the cassette relative to the first, stowed position,
wherein the coupling portion includes a first portion fixedly coupled with the mounting portion and a second portion that extends from the first portion and wherein the second portion is configured to flex so as to permit the engagement portion to be inserted into and removed from the coupling portion,
in combination with the rest of the claimed limitations.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to RYAN A LEPISTO whose telephone number is (571)272-1946. The examiner can normally be reached 9AM-6PM EST M-F.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Thomas Hollweg can be reached at 571-270-1739. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/RYAN A LEPISTO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2874
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